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AIBU?

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Original poster

Kids entertaining themselves whilst I sleep

189 replies

Kerlassic · 26/04/2020 15:35

This is fine isn’t it?

Kids 4 and 8, get on well. On a Sunday DH has his lie in. Children get up at 7, come in for a cuddle then head downstairs, I go into guest bedroom and leave the door open so I can hear them and leave DH in bed with the door closed. I leave out a brioche and banana each the night before and cups. Eldest pours milk for them both and they eat brek and play/watch TV until I come down about 9. I only doze and am listening out for them. They know they can get me if they need to.

Can anyone see a problem with this?

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 27/04/2020 01:11

an incident needing an adult would be missed

wouldn't!

wouldn't be missed

[obviously!]

rottiemum88 · 27/04/2020 01:13

On a Saturday it’s my lie in. DH gets up with them as he prefers to. I also wouldn’t be happy with it both weekend days so I’m glad he does.

Then you're a bit of a hypocrite to be honest. Just get up with your kids? You get a lie in on Saturdays. Getting up at 7 on Sunday isn't even that early Confused

Nostrings457 · 27/04/2020 01:13

'Pretty lazy really' . . . I cant believe how many comments of this. Seriously get a grip. OP is in the house, can hear the kids. Its a long old day with little ones especially in lockdown. I

CameraObfuscated · 27/04/2020 02:13

Downstairs in their own living room hardly seems the most hazardous of situations.

Fromthebirdsnest · 27/04/2020 02:23

You have a lay in Saturday while your husband cares for the children then on husband's lie in day you also go back to bed ? If your tired go to bed earlier , you can't leave a 4 year old alone for nearly 2 hours ! What if they hurt themselves because your not watching them sorry but I feel this is neglectful , I was a child minder & have also been a nanny, would you think it was ok that your 4 year old was left for 2 hours while in someone else's care? If they answer is no then you know it's wrong! X

ChaBishkoot · 27/04/2020 03:50

Erm. The nanny/CM comparison is absurd. I lose my shit sometimes at my kids and yell. More than once a week sometimes. If my nanny did that I would be unimpressed. She’s paid and she isn’t ‘responsible’ for them 24/7. Also the 4 year old isn’t alone, there is another sibling around who can go call a parent.
But my not quite 4 year old plays in his room by himself WITHOUT his sibling? Sometimes he even has a biscuit or two while doing this.
This is clearly the height of negligent MN parenting. (But as I said earlier people who keep their babies with them till 6m and never let them sleep alone- I didn’t for a whole year btw- are being ‘overprotective’ and ‘need to not take every guideline so seriously’)

Peppafrig · 27/04/2020 03:51

4 year old far too young

bettybattenburg · 27/04/2020 04:02

If you had a lie in the other weekend day then why don't you just get up with them? Going down on their own and having a semi stale brioche left out overnight doesn't sound fun to me.

Monty27 · 27/04/2020 04:06

Oh goodness OP don't pay any attention to the nay sayers. Of course it's ok.
I used to set a breakfast table at night for my two. A plethora of luxury 😂
The older would put the TV on and by the time I came down they were all sorted to get dressed which I'd have sorted and then we'd plan our day. Enjoy every moment in the safety of your family home ❤️ Flowers

JustinMyJustin · 27/04/2020 06:36

So on your lie in day your husband gets up with them, but on his day you go back to bed?

Sorry but that’s really lazy. Just get up with your children! Totally unfair to expect your older child to look after the little one while you lie in bed. If this was a man writing this thread they’d be handed their arse on a plate!

bulliedintonamechange · 27/04/2020 06:38

Haha it's not lazy!! You trust your kids and would certainly know very quickly if anything happened! Do what you like.

Blacksideupanddownagain · 27/04/2020 06:54

Totally fine. We let D D do this from about 4 too. She is an early riser so is allowed downstairs from 6a.m to watch TV. We leave her a small bottle of milk in the fridge the night before, but no food because I worry about choking. Her little brother wakes up 6 30/7 ish so one of us always goes down once he wakes up as he's too little to be on his own (nearly 3). I did the same when a child.

runninguphills · 27/04/2020 06:56

I would leave my children downstairs at that age (and have done). Infact, I remember teaching my youngest how to put the peppa pig dvd into the dvd player to encourage it.

I'm lucky, my children tend to get on and all seem very sensible.

They would be able to make their own cereal breakfast at that age.

Im quite strict with screen time so it's extra time for them to be on it. As far as they are concerned - the longer I lie in the better!!!

Yester · 27/04/2020 07:13

Of course it's fine.

Coconutbug · 27/04/2020 07:20

I think it's fine!

I remember doing this as a child before the age of 3 and my sister was only 18 months older. I think you just need to assess the situation according to the child. But seems okay to me.

CrossFreelancer · 27/04/2020 07:37

I think it's absolutely fine!! I hope that one day I can do the same 😅
The only thing I'm not sure about is the banana and brioche as could be a choking hazard if you aren't around to witness.

FiddlefigOnTheRoof · 27/04/2020 07:39

We let our 4 and 6 year olds do this. They can get their own breakfast too (bread, jam, pour milk). We can hear squeals (it’s not a large house), and it’s for max an hour.

Mawbags · 27/04/2020 07:49

Good god, are you worried about them getting into the cocktail cabinet?

Set the free
Have a nap
Tiredness kills good times? Having young kids is exhausting

whodunit3 · 27/04/2020 07:52

Absolutely fine...

There a few precious years between the needy baby and toddler stages and 9am weekend dance/riding/hockey/rugby lessons where Saturday morning is for cups of tea and snoozing the alarm and cartoons and sugary cereal for the kids...

Make the most of it!!

BrummyMum1 · 27/04/2020 08:55

Supervising children’s meal times is not helicopter parenting.

Sally872 · 27/04/2020 13:13

@BrummyMum1 until what age do you have to supervise every meal? I would have thought younger than 4.

BrummyMum1 · 27/04/2020 14:18

@sally872 my eldest is pre-school age and would not know what to do if they were choking. Although they play alone, they don’t eat alone.

Sally872 · 27/04/2020 15:36

@BrummyMum1 would you allow the preschooler surely around 4 to eat alone? My 9 year old is as likely to choke as my 4 year old (both very unlikely). And the 4 year old would run and get me as well as the 9 year old would.

LaurieMarlow · 27/04/2020 15:46

This place sometimes Hmm

Of course its fine. There's a whole cohort on here who think you need to be terminally neurotic to be a reasonable parent these days! Ignore them.

ReturnofSaturn · 27/04/2020 16:11

Wow how times change.

I vividly remember it being just me and my brother up on weekend mornings watching cartoons from a young age!

Absolutely fine OP.